Author: CNN Newsource

By Brittni Johnson

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    RIGBY (eastidahonews.com) — A Rigby man, remembered for the selfless life he lived, was able to bless others through organ donation.

Noel Rios, who went by the name Titus Freeman, died on the evening of Oct. 19, 2025, at the age of 21. He was riding his dirt bike — he’s been riding since he was 3 years old — when he was involved in a crash with a truck half a mile from his home in Rigby.

“He was most likely killed on impact,” Janice Bell, who is Freeman’s aunt, told EastIdahoNews.com. “He had a helmet and all his riding gear on, and it didn’t save him.”

On Oct. 13, just days before the accident, Freeman turned 21. Bell said her nephew’s best friend, who is in his late 60s, told him he needed to get a “big boy license” since he was now 21.

“He took Friday off to go get his new driver’s license … and he thought to himself (and told his mom), ‘I’m an adult now, I should be a donor.’ He wasn’t a donor before,” Bell explained. “When he went down there (to renew his license), he became a donor. That was Friday, and he was killed Sunday.”

After the accident, Freeman was rushed to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where his family was told he wouldn’t survive. The hospital found out he was a donor, and he was taken to the Intensive Care Unit and put on life support.

A donor honor walk took place Oct. 22, where Freeman, who had been declared brain dead, was wheeled down to the operating room as family, friends, coworkers and hospital employees lined the hallways.

Thanks to Freeman’s decision to become a donor, he helped save the lives of seven other people.

“His heart went to another 21-year-old boy in Utah,” said Bell, who said she hopes that person goes on to “do great things.” “We don’t know much about his other ones (like) his kidneys and lungs.”

Freeman not only helped others as a donor but also by giving freely and serving those around him, which he did throughout his life.

Freeman worked for Knife River in Idaho Falls at the time of his death. Bell mentioned that he led a crew of men twice his age, and he’d get to work at 5 a.m. to start everybody’s machines so they’d be warm for them.

“He gave his whole crew lunch money (and gas money) all the time,” she said. “When he passed away, they all paid him back in his front loader (that) was his machine. It was full of money.”

Freeman, who was born in Caldwell, has one older and one younger sister. Bell said Freeman had a challenging childhood, but he rose above it. At 19, he decided to buy a house in Rigby for his mom.

“She not only loved him — every parent has a favorite, I don’t care what they say. If they say they don’t, they lie — but Titus, the reason he was her favorite is he also loved her the most,” Bell said.

Freeman was a gifted baseball player who enjoyed playing disc golf and going fishing. When he was 12, he rebuilt a snowmobile, and most recently, he was rebuilding the engine in his truck. He got his truck running the day of his accident, but he never got a chance to drive it.

“He was such a good boy. Never in trouble in his life,” Bell recalled. “He didn’t go out drinking. He was in bed by 8 or 9. We call him the old man of the family. He was an anomaly.”

Bell said losing her nephew was “the worst thing possible,” but she is proud of the lives he was able to save.

“You don’t have to be religious, or you can be, but God — if there is a God — he did this. This must have been part of his plan … of some plan,” she said. “I guess he had a plan for my beautiful, sweet nephew.”

Freeman will be honored in Utah this summer when his name is added to “The Celebration of Life Monument.” The monument is a memorial and tribute to individuals both living and deceased that have donated organs, tissue, and eyes for either transplant or research in the intermountain area.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Dan Rascon

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    HELPER (KSL) — A fast-moving and devastating fire has claimed the life of a beloved father and grandfather in the small central Utah town of Helper.

Family members said Rudy Draper, 73, had no time to escape when his trailer suddenly went up in flames.

The fire consumed his 32‑foot Fleetwood trailer within minutes, leaving behind only charred debris. Cellphone video taken by family shows the interior completely destroyed as they walked through the remains.

“It went up so fast. So fast,” his daughter, Deyette Forsythe, told KSL.

Forsythe said the blaze erupted just before 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at Pam’s RV Park. She explained that the park manager tried desperately to save her father but was forced back by the intense heat and heavy smoke.

“He was crying and he said, ‘I tried to get the person out, and I couldn’t. I opened the door, (and the) smoke was coming out so heavily. The flames, the heat of it, just blew me backwards,'” Forsythe said.

Rudy Draper lived in the trailer with his dog, Tilly. Both died in the fire.

Draper was a father of three, a grandfather of eight, and a retired truck driver who was born in Price. He was a truck driver who had traveled to every state in the country except for three.

“He was a good man. You can never imagine losing somebody so close and in that way,” said Forsythe. “I’m going to miss everything about him. Everything.”

Investigators say the fire was started by the trailer’s furnace. It remains unclear what caused the furnace to malfunction.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Alexander Brunet

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    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Two Army Sergeants are facing charges for poaching five mule deer on Fort Carson and one on state land.

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Army Sergeant Jacob Curtis Keyser, Staff Sergeant Juan Salcedo, and a third unnamed soldier have all been convicted of misdemeanors. Keyser originally faced 30 wildlife charges, $19,005 in fines, and was issued 180 suspension points, and forfeiture of his hunting rifle. Salcedo faced 15 charges, $8,817 in fines, and was issued 65 suspension points. The third, unnamed soldier who disposed of the poached meat received a $900 fine.

CPW says the investigation began when a hunter reported a poached mule deer on Fort Carson. The investigating officer found a dead buck partially processed and abandoned, with select cuts of meat missing and its antlers removed. CPW officers located a second deer, a doe, approximately 100 yards away from the first. The doe was also partially processed and abandoned.

Investigators say they were able to identify a vehicle connected to the case, as well as social media images that identified Keyser and Salcedo. CPW obtained search warrants for Keyser, his car, and his cell phone, rendering evidence of multiple instances of poaching and trespassing on military and state lands.

“This case would not have moved forward without the help of the Fort Carson Conservation Law Enforcement Officers, Mike Allen, Paul Everett, 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Christian Wiesenberg and James Malis, and the timely reporting from hunters who discovered the crime scene,” said Demetria Wright, District Wildlife Manager and investigating officer. ”Poaching is a serious, costly crime which harms legitimate sportspersons, wildlife viewers, small business owners and taxpayers.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Christopher Harris

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    PAULDING COUNTY, Georgia (WUPA) — More than a month after deputies pulled him from a collision on the highway and brought him back to life, Tim Gayton reunited with the Paulding County first responders who saved him.

The Paulding County Sheriff’s Office says Gayton met with Deputies Tanner Hambrick and Christopher Resko on Jan. 20 at Wellstar Paulding Medical Center. The reunion came as deputies and other first responders were recognized for their life-saving actions during the December rescue.

The incident happened Dec. 13 along Highway 278 in Hiram. Deputies were called to a crash involving Gayton’s Ford F-150 and found him unresponsive and without a pulse after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

Body-worn camera video shows deputies moving quickly. Without hesitation, they pulled Gayton from the truck and began hands-only CPR. Officials say Deputy Hambrick’s fast response helped keep blood flowing to Gayton’s brain and heart while other emergency crews were on the way.

Deputies and EMS crews continued life-saving efforts, including defibrillation, until Gayton regained a pulse. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Just two days later, Gayton was able to walk out of the hospital and spend the holidays with his family.

The entire rescue was recorded as part of the sheriff’s office’s newly launched body-worn camera program — a moment the department says shows the importance of being prepared and acting quickly in a crisis.

During the Jan. 20 reunion, Gayton thanked the deputies and first responders who helped save his life.

“I wanted to put a face with a name and say thank you,” Gayton said. “I’m happy, glad I’m here. I was fortunate. The man upstairs, he’s got other things in store.”

Deputies Hambrick and Resko, along with other EMS responders, received the Lifesaver Award from Wellstar Paulding Hospital for their actions. Sheriff Henson also commended the deputies, calling their actions a powerful example of service under pressure.

“What our deputies did on December 13 showed the best of humanity,” Henson said. “They face difficult situations every day, and I could not be more proud.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Katie Marshall

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    ROSWELL, N.M. (KOAT) — The Roswell Police Department is warning residents about a scam that has resurfaced.

They have been receiving reports of callers claiming to be holding someone hostage and demanding money. In many cases, the caller says the supposed victim is a relative of the person being contacted and may even have personal information to make the threat seem legitimate.

Police say these incidents are consistent with what the FBI calls “virtual kidnapping,” a scam in which no one is actually abducted. Instead, the caller attempts to create panic and pressure victims into sending money quickly.

Police advise anyone who receives one of these calls to immediately verify the whereabouts and safety of their loved ones. If those attempts raise legitimate concern, residents are urged to contact police at 575-624-6770.

RPD says residents should not send money to the caller under any circumstances.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by this scam is encouraged to report it to the police.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By KCRA Staff

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    WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) — Athletics standout Nick Kurtz was recognized in West Sacramento on Tuesday for winning the American League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award, a major league honor celebrating the most outstanding first-year player.

West Sacramento Mayor Martha Guerrero and Sacramento Mayor Kevin McCarty both spoke at the ceremony. Guerrero highlighted Kurtz as an example of the talent, discipline, and competitive spirit that define the next generation of baseball.

“As a rookie, you didn’t just meet expectations, you exceeded them,” Guerrero said. “You played with confidence, consistency, and composure well beyond your years. And you set a standard that inspires teammates, fans and especially young athletes here.”

The city of West Sacramento also declared it Nick Kurtz Day in his honor.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Tracy Escobedo

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    WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KSBW) — Watsonville police posted a video on social media saying another mountain lion had been spotted in Watsonville near Blackbird Circle and the Ramsay Park tennis courts.

However, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) confirmed the video does not show a mountain lion. After reviewing it, officials said the animal appears to be a house cat.

“Neither the previous nor the current mountain lion sightings reported to us over the past several weeks have involved aggressive behavior. We will continue to forward reports of sightings to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, as these wildlife matters are handled directly by them,” Watsonville police said in a social media post.

The CDFW encourages people to report any mountain lion sightings.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Ricardo Tovar

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    BONNY DOON, Calif. (KSBW) — The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office said a body was found during the search for missing at-risk hiker Jeanne Burke, who was last seen on Nov. 18, 2025.

Deputies and search teams continued search efforts Saturday and Sunday in the area of Ice Cream Grade and Moore Ranch Road, where Burke was last seen.

Burke was described as wearing a red-and-black plaid jacket, black pants, one pink sandal, and one black sandal. She is 5 feet 2 inches tall, has a medium build, weighs 108 pounds, and has long gray hair, blue eyes, and glasses.

On Sunday afternoon, the sheriff’s office said a body was found in a “densely wooded area within the identified search zone.”

The Santa Cruz County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office has not yet determined the identity of the person found. More information will be released when available.

“We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the Santa Cruz County Search and Rescue Team for their resilience and dedication throughout the search efforts, and to thank the community and all assisting agencies who have traveled to support the continued search for Ms. Burke,” the sheriff’s office said in a media release.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.